Superconducting device having a reduced thickness of oxide superconducting layer

ABSTRACT

For manufacturing a superconducting device, a first c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film having a very thin thickness is formed on a principal surface of a substrate, and a stacked structure of a gate insulator and a gate electrode is formed on a portion of the first oxide superconductor thin film. An a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film is grown, using the gate electrode as a mask, so that second and third superconducting regions having a relatively thick thickness are formed at both sides of the gate electrode, electrically isolated from the gate electrode. The superconducting device thus formed can functions as a super-FET.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method for manufacturing asuperconducting device, and more specifically to a method formanufacturing a superconducting device including an oxidesuperconducting layer having a partially reduced thickness portionforming a superconducting channel controlled by a gate electrode, and asuperconducting device manufactured by the method.

2. Description of Related Art

Typical three-terminal devices which utilize a superconductor include aso called superconducting-base transistor and a so called super-FET(field effect transistor). The superconducting-base transistor includesan emitter of a superconductor or a normal conductor, a tunnel barrierof an insulator, a base of a superconductor, a semiconductor isolatorand a collector of a normal conductor, stacked in the named order. Thissuperconducting-base transistor operates at a high speed with a lowpower consumption, by utilizing high speed electrons passing through thetunnel barrier.

The super-FET includes a semiconductor layer, and a superconductorsource electrode and a superconductor drain electrode which are formedclosely to each other on the semiconductor layer. A portion of thesemiconductor layer between the superconductor source electrode and thesuperconductor drain electrode has a greatly recessed or undercut rearsurface so as to have a reduced thickness. In addition, a gate electrodeis formed through a gate insulator layer on the recessed or undercutrear surface of the portion of the semiconductor layer between thesuperconductor source electrode and the superconductor drain electrode.

A superconducting current flows through the semiconductor layer portionbetween the superconductor source electrode and the superconductor drainelectrode due to a superconducting proximity effect, and is controlledby an applied gate voltage. This super-FET also operates at a high speedwith a low power consumption.

In addition, in the prior art, there has been proposed a three-terminalsuperconducting device having a channel of a superconductor formedbetween a source electrode and a drain electrode, so that a currentflowing through the superconducting channel is controlled by a voltageapplied to a gate formed above the superconducting channel.

Both of the above mentioned superconducting-base transistor and thesuper-FET have a portion in which a semiconductor layer and asuperconducting layer are stacked to each other. However, it isdifficult to form a stacked structure of the semiconductor layer and thesuperconducting layer formed of an oxide superconductor which has beenrecently advanced in study. In addition, even if it is possible to forma stacked structure of the semiconductor layer and the oxidesuperconducting layer, it is difficult to control a boundary between thesemiconductor layer and the oxide superconducting layer. Therefore, asatisfactory operation could not been obtained in these superconductingdevices.

In addition, since the super-FET utilizes the superconducting proximityeffect, the superconductor source electrode and the superconductor drainelectrode have to be located close to each other at a distance which isa few times the coherence length of the superconductor materials of thesuperconductor source electrode and the superconductor drain electrode.In particular, since an oxide superconductor has a short coherencelength, if the superconductor source electrode and the superconductordrain electrode are formed of the oxide superconductor material, adistance between the superconductor source electrode and thesuperconductor drain electrode has to be not greater than a few tennanometers. However, it is very difficult to conduct a fine processingsuch as a fine pattern etching so as to ensure the very short separationdistance. Because of this, in the prior art, it has been impossible tomanufacture the super-FET composed of the oxide superconductor material.

Furthermore, it has been confirmed that the conventional three-terminalsuperconducting device having the superconducting channel shows amodulation operation. However, the conventional three-terminalsuperconducting device having the superconducting channel could notrealize a complete ON/OFF operation, because a carrier density is toohigh. In this connection, since an oxide superconductor material has alow carrier density, it is expected to form a three-terminalsuperconducting device which has a superconducting channel and which canrealize the complete ON/OFF operation, by forming the superconductingchannel of the oxide superconductor material. In this case, however, athickness of the superconducting channel has to be made on the order of5 nanometers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, it is an object of the present invention to provide amethod for manufacturing a superconducting device, which have overcomethe above mentioned defects of the conventional ones.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a method formanufacturing an FET type superconducting device including an oxidesuperconducting layer having an extremely thin portion forming asuperconducting channel, with a good repeatability by using existingestablished processing techniques.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide an FET typesuperconducting device having a unique structure which have overcome theabove mentioned defects of the conventional ones.

The above and other objects of the present invention are achieved inaccordance with the present invention by a method for manufacturing asuperconducting device, the method comprising the step of preparing asubstrate having a principal surface thereof, forming a c-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film having a very thin thicknesson the principal surface of the substrate, forming on a portion of thec-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film a stacked structureincluding a gate insulator formed directly on the c-axis orientatedoxide superconductor thin film and a gate electrode formed on the gateinsulator, growing an a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film,using the gate electrode as a mask, so that superconducting regionshaving a relatively thick thickness are formed of a-axis orientatedoxide superconductor thin films at both sides of the gate electrode,electrically isolated from the gate electrode, and forming asuperconducting source region and a superconducting drain region,respectively.

According to another aspect of the present invention, there is provideda superconducting device which comprises a substrate having a principalsurface, a first oxide superconducting region of an extremely thinthickness formed on the principal surface of the substrate, second andthird oxide superconducting regions of a relatively thick thicknessformed near each end of the first oxide superconducting region separatedfrom each other, the first oxide superconducting region beingelectrically connected to the second and third oxide superconductingregions to bridge the second and third oxide superconducting regions andto form a superconducting channel between the second and third oxidesuperconducting regions, so that a superconducting current can flowthrough the superconducting channel between the second and third oxidesuperconducting regions, and a gate electrode formed on a gate insulatorplaced on the first oxide superconducting region for controlling thesuperconducting current flowing through the superconducting channel, thefirst oxide superconducting regions being formed of a c-axis orientatedoxide superconductor thin film, the second and third oxidesuperconducting regions being formed of a-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin films, and the gate electrode being electricallyisolated from the first, second and third oxide superconducting regions.

In a preferred embodiment, the oxide superconductor thin film is formedof a material selected from the group consisting of a Y-Ba-Cu-O typecompound oxide superconductor material, a Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O type compoundoxide superconductor material, and a Tl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O type compound oxidesuperconductor material.

In addition, the substrate, on which the oxide superconductor thin filmis deposited, can be formed of an insulating substrate, preferably anoxide single crystalline substrate such as MgO, SrTiO₃, CdNdAlO₄, etc.These substrate materials are very effective in forming or growing acrystalline film having a high orientation property. However, thesuperconducting device can be formed on a semiconductor substrate if anappropriate buffer layer is deposited thereon. For example, the bufferlayer on the semiconductor substrate can be formed of a double-layercoating formed of a MgAlO₄ layer and a BaTiO₃ layer if silicon is usedas a substrate.

In the superconducting device manufactured in accordance with thepresent invention, the superconducting current flowing between thesecond and third oxide superconducting regions through thesuperconducting channel formed of the first oxide superconducting regionis controlled by a voltage applied to the gate electrode. Namely, thesuperconducting device constitutes the super-FET. In order to ensurethat the superconducting channel can be turned on and off by a voltageapplied to the gate electrode, a thickness of the superconductingchannel has to be on the order of 5 nanometers in the direction of anelectric field created by the voltage applied to the gate electrode.This extremely thin superconducting channel can be easily realized orformed in accordance with the method of the present invention.

For example, the c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film isformed to have the thickness on the order of about 5 nanometers. Thisextremely thin oxide superconductor thin film can be formed in aconventional process by precisely controlling both of the thin filmgrowth speed and the growth time. For this purpose, a sputtering can beused. However, since the oxide superconductor crystal has a multi-layerstructure in which respective constituent elements are stacked in alayered structure, it is possible to stack a desired number of unitcells of oxide superconductor, by using a MBE (molecular beam epitaxy).

In another preferred embodiment, the c-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film is formed to have the thickness on the order ofabout 20 nanometers. An upper portion of the c-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film having a thickness of more than 10 nanometersis changed into an oxide insulating layer so that a lower portion of thec-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film becomes asuperconducting channel having a thickness of about 5 nanometers. Tochange the upper portion of the c-axis orientated oxide superconductorthin film to the oxide insulating layer, the c-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film is heated under high vacuum.

Oxygen of crystals of an oxide superconductor escapes when the oxidesuperconductor is heated under vacuum. Superconducting properties of anoxide superconductor is sensitive to amounts of oxygen which is includedin the crystals of the oxide superconductor. If the crystals of theoxide superconductor lack oxygen, the critical temperature of the oxidesuperconductor lowers considerably or the oxide superconductor loses itssuperconductivity.

Therefore, the upper portion of the c-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film is changed into an oxide insulating layersubstantially and the extremely thin oxide superconductor thin film canbe formed. The thickness of the oxide insulating layer is controlled bythe heat process time. It is preferable to etch the oxide superconductorfilm so that side surfaces of a portion which will be changed into theoxide insulating layer, which are parallel to the c-axis of crystals ofoxide superconductor, are exposed, since the oxygen of crystals of oxidesuperconductor migrates to a direction perpendicular to the c-axis ofcrystals of oxide superconductor easier.

The extremely thin c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film thusformed or deposited is very preferable in thickness and the crystalorientation to form a superconducting channel, but insufficient inthickness and inadequate in the crystal orientation to form asuperconducting source region and a superconducting drain region.Therefore, the superconducting layer in the superconducting sourceregion and the superconducting drain region must be further thickenedand formed of an a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film. Theabove mentioned method in accordance with the present invention is veryeffective in forming the superconducting source region and thesuperconducting drain region of an a-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film having enough thickness while maintaining thethickness of the extremely thin oxide superconductor thin filmconstituting the superconducting channel.

Namely, in one preferred embodiment, a gate electrode is formed on theextremely thin c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film at aposition corresponding to the superconducting channel, and the c-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film is selectively etched andremoved excluding the superconducting channel so that a portion of thesubstrate is exposed and the a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thinfilm is deposited or grown on the exposed substrate, using the gateelectrode as a mask.

It is preferable that normal conductor members which are formed of ametal stable to the oxide superconductor such as Au, Pt are arrangedbetween the superconducting channel and the superconducting sourceregion and between the superconducting channel and the superconductingdrain region. These normal conductor members prevent oxygen of thesuperconducting channel from escaping while the superconducting sourceregion and the superconducting drain region are formed, and prevent thec-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film from interfering thea-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin films. Therefore, the c-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film and the a-axis orientatedoxide superconductor thin films have high degree of crystallinity andorientation. The normal conductor members have thickness which may notdisturb the superconducting current flow by penetrating between thesuperconducting channel and superconducting source region and betweenthe superconducting channel and superconducting drain region.

In another preferred embodiment, a gate electrode is formed on therather thin c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film at aposition corresponding to the superconducting channel, and at the sametime, the c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film isselectively etched so that the portion under the gate electrode projectsfrom an etched portion and the a-axis orientated oxide superconductorthin film is deposited or grown on an etched surface of the c-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film.

In one preferred embodiment, both side surfaces of the gate electrodeare covered with insulating side-walls, and the second deposition orgrowth of the a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film isperformed until the gate electrode is completely embedded in the a-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film, and thereafter, the a-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film is planarized until an uppersurface of the gate electrode is exposed at the planarized upper surfaceof the a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film. In thisprocess, although the gate electrode is embedded in the a-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film, the gate electrode iselectrically isolated from the oxide superconductor thin film by thegate insulator and the side insulating layer.

As seen from the above, the method in accordance with the presentinvention includes no process which requires high-precision for formingthe superconducting channel. Therefore, the limitation in the fineprocessing techniques required for manufacturing the super-FET can berelaxed.

The above and other objects, features and advantages of the presentinvention will be apparent from the following description of preferredembodiments of the invention with reference to the accompanyingdrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIGS. 1A to 1I are diagrammatic sectional views for illustrating a firstembodiment of the method in accordance with the present invention formanufacturing the superconducting device; and

FIGS. 2A to 2F are diagrammatic sectional views for illustratingfeatured steps of a second embodiment of the method in accordance withthe present invention for manufacturing the superconducting device.

DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

Referring to FIGS. 1A to 1I, the process in accordance with the presentinvention for manufacturing the super-FET will be described.

As shown in FIG. 1A, a substrate 5 having a substantially planarprincipal surface is prepared. This substrate 5 is formed of forexample, an insulator substrate such as a MgO (100) substrate, a SrTiO₃(100) substrate, a CdNdAlO₄ (001) substrate or others, or asemiconductor substrate such as a silicon substrate having a principalsurface coated with a buffer layer composed of an insulating film. Inthe case of the silicon substrate, the principal surface of the siliconis preferably coated with MgAlO₄ by a CVD (chemical vapor deposition)and also with BaTiO₃ by a sequential sputtering process.

As shown in FIG. 1B, an extremely thin c-axis orientated Y₁ Ba₂ Cu₃ O₇₋δoxide superconductor thin film 11 having a thickness on the order ofabout 5 nanometers is deposited on the principal surface of thesubstrate 5, by for example an off-axis sputtering, a reactiveevaporation, an MBE (molecular beam epitaxy), a CVD, etc. This extremelythin oxide superconductor thin film 11 forms a superconducting channel10 when the super-FET is completed. The superconducting channel ispreferably formed of c-axis orientated thin film, since the c-axisorientated thin film has a large critical current density in thedirection in parallel to the substrate surface. A condition of formingthe c-axis orientated Y₁ Ba₂ Cu₃ O₇₋δ oxide superconductor thin film 11by off-axis sputtering is as follows:

Sputtering Gas Ar: 90%

O₂ : 10%

Pressure 10 Pa

Temperature of the substrate 700° C.

The oxide superconductor thin film is preferably formed of, for example,a Bi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material, or aTl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material other thanY-Ba-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1C, an insulating layer 16 is deposited on theoxide superconductor thin film 11. The insulating layer 16 is depositedto have a thickness of not less than 10 nanometers which is sufficientto prevent a tunnel current. In addition, the insulating layer 16 isformed of an insulating material such as MgO, which does not form alarge density of energy levels between the superconductor thin film 11and the insulating layer 16. Furthermore, from the viewpoint of amechanical stress, it is preferred to form on the oxide superconductorthin film 11 an insulating layer having a composition similar oranalogous to that of the oxide superconductor thin film 11, withouttaking out the substrate 5 from a film deposition apparatus or chamberafter the oxide superconductor thin film 11 is deposited on thesubstrate 5.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1D, a normal conducting layer 17 isdeposited on the insulating layer 16 and a refractory layer 9 isdeposited on the normal conducting layer 17. The normal conducting layer17 can be deposited by a vacuum evaporation or any other suitableprocess, so as to have a thickness of about 200 nanometers. The normalconducting layer 17 can be formed of Au, or a refractory metal such asTi, W or a silicide thereof.

The insulating layer 16 and the normal conducting layer 17 arepreferably deposited continuously on the oxide superconductor thin film11, without taking out the substrate 5 from a film deposition apparatusor chamber.

The refractory layer 9 is formed of a refractory metal such as Mo etc.,a refractory resist, an insulating layer and can be deposited by avacuum evaporation etc.

The refractory layer 9 is selectively etched so as to remove all of therefractory layer excluding a portion 91 which is above the superconducting channel and to form a gate electrode pattern, as shown inFIG. 1E.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1F, the stacked layer of the oxidesuperconductor thin film 11, the insulating layer 16 and the normalconducting layer 17 is selectively removed so as to form asuperconducting channel 10, a gate insulator 6 and a gate electrode 4.For this purpose, the normal conducting layer 17, the insulating layer16 and the oxide superconductor thin film 11 are selectively etched in aself alignment to the patterned refractory mask 91, so as to remove allof the metal layer excluding a portion which becomes the gate electrodeon the superconducting channel 10, so that the gate electrode 4 isformed, and a gate insulator 6 is left on the oxide superconductor thinfilm 11 and only under the patterned gate electrode 4, and asuperconducting channel 10 is left on the substrate 5, and the substrate5 is exposed excluding a portion under the superconducting channel 10.In this connection, it is desired that the gate electrode 4 and the gateinsulator 6 are side-etched in comparison with the superconductingchannel 10, so that the gate electrode 4 has a length shorter than thatof the superconducting channel 10 and the gate insulator 6 has a lengthshorter than that of the gate electrode 4.

Thereafter, as shown in FIG. 1G, normal conductor members 12 and 13 areformed on the both ends of the superconducting channel 10. These normalconductor members 12 and 13 can be formed by depositing an Au layercovering the superconducting channel 10 and exposing portion of thesubstrate 5, and etching back the deposited Au layer by means of ananisotropic etching so that the Au layer remains only on the sidesurfaces of the superconducting channel 10.

Then, as shown in FIG. 1H, a superconducting source region 2 and asuperconducting drain region 3 of an a-axis orientated Y₁ Ba₂ Cu₃ O₇₋δoxide superconductor thin film are formed on the substrate 5 at bothsides of the superconducting channel 10, respectively. An a-axisorientated Y₁ Ba₂ Cu₃ O₇₋δ oxide superconductor thin film can be formedby an off-axis sputtering process which is carried out under a conditionthat the substrate temperature is not higher than 650° C. A sputteringcondition under which the superconducting source region 2 and thesuperconducting drain region 3 are formed is as follows:

Sputtering Gas Ar: 90%

O2: 10%

Pressure 10 Pa

Temperature of the substrate 640° C.

At the same time, an a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film 20is deposited on the refractory mask 91, however, the refractory mask 91which is formed of Mo sublimates while the oxide superconductor thinfilm is deposited. With this, the super-FET in accordance with thepresent invention is completed, as shown in FIG. 1I. The oxidesuperconductor thin film 20 can be left above the gate electrode 4, inthe case of using an insulator as the refractory mask 91.

As explained above, if the super-FET is manufactured in accordance withthe first embodiment of the method of the present invention, thelimitation in the fine processing technique required for manufacturingthe super-FET is relaxed. Since the flatness of the upper surface of thesuperconducting device can be improved, it become easy to form conductorwirings in a later process. Accordingly, it is easy to manufacture thesuper-FET with good repeatability, and the manufactured super-FET has astable performance.

Referring to FIGS. 2A to 2G, a second embodiment of the process formanufacturing the superconducting device will be described.

In this second embodiment, the same processings as those shown in FIGS.1A to 1B are performed except that the c-axis oxide superconductor thinfilm 11 is formed having a thickness on the order of 20 nanometers.After the c-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film 11 isdeposited, as shown in FIG. 2A, a normal conducting layer 17 isdeposited on the oxide superconductor thin film 11 by a CVD, asputtering, etc. The normal conducting layer 17 can be formed of Au, ora refractory metal such as Ti, W or a silicide thereof.

As shown in FIG. 2B, the normal conducting layer 17 is selectivelyetched so as to remove all of the normal conducting layer excluding aportion which becomes the gate electrode on the superconducting channel10, so that the gate electrode 4 is formed. Then, the oxidesuperconductor thin film 11 is selectively etched more than 10nanometers in a self alignment to the patterned gate electrode 4, sothat a portion under the patterned gate electrode 4 projects from theetched portion of the oxide superconductor thin film 11.

Thereafter, the substrate 5 is heated to more than 400° C. under apressure of 10⁻⁵ Pa. Then, as shown in FIG. 2C, oxygen of the crystalsof the portion of the oxide superconductor thin film 11 under thepatterned gate electrode 4 escapes through side surfaces 18 and 19 sothat the portion changes to the gate insulator 6. The portion of theoxide superconductor thin film 11 under the gate insulator 6 becomessuperconducting channel 10.

An oxide superconductor loses its superconductivity when it lacks oxygenof its crystals. Therefore, after the process, the oxide which formsgate insulator 6 becomes an oxide insulator for lack of oxygen. In aboveprocess the oxygen of the crystals of the oxide superconductor escapesonly through sides 18 and 19, since the oxide superconductor has largerdiffusion coefficients of oxygen along the a-axis and the b-axis of thecrystal than along the c-axis.

After the process, as shown in FIG. 2D, an insulating layer 16 whichcovers the extremely thin oxide superconductor thin film 11 and the gateelectrode 4 is deposited. The insulating layer 16 is formed of aninsulating material such as MgO by a sputtering etc. Then as shown inFIG. 2E, the insulating layer 16 is etched by an anisotropic etching sothat the insulating layer remains only on the side surfaces of the gateelectrode 4 to form the gate insulating side-walls 14 and 15.

Finally, as shown in FIG. 2F, a superconducting source region 2 and asuperconducting drain region 3 of an a-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film are formed on the oxide superconductor thinfilm 11 at both sides of the gate electrode 4 and of gate insulator 6,respectively. In the process, in order to planarize an upper surface ofthe deposited a-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film and toshape the superconducting source region 2 and the superconducting drainregion 3, a photoresist layer (not shown) is deposited on the a-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film in such a manner that thedeposited photoresist layer has a flat upper surface, and then, thedeposited photoresist layer and the deposited a-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin film are etched back, until the upper surface of thea-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film is planarized and thegate electrode 4 is exposed at the planarized upper surface of thea-axis orientated oxide superconductor thin film as shown in FIG. 2F.With this, the super-FET in accordance with the present invention iscompleted.

As explained above, if the super-FET is manufactured in accordance withthe second embodiment of the method of the present invention, thelimitation in the fine processing technique required for manufacturingthe super-FET is relaxed, similarly to the first embodiment. Inaddition, since the upper surface of the superconductor thin film isplanarized, it become easy to form conductor wirings in a later process.Accordingly, it is easy to manufacture the super-FET with goodrepeatability, and the manufactured super-FET has a stable performance.

The super-FET manufactured in accordance with the method of the presentinvention comprises the superconducting channel 10 formed on thesubstrate 5 and the gate electrode 4 arranged on the superconductingchannel 10. The superconducting channel 10 is formed of a c-axisorientated oxide superconductor thin film which is as extremely thin asabout 5 nanometers. Both sides of the superconducting channel 10, thesuperconducting source region 2 and the superconducting drain region 3are located, respectively. The superconducting source region 2 and thesuperconducting drain region 3 are formed of a-axis orientated oxidesuperconductor thin films, which are directly formed on the substrate 5in the embodiment shown in FIG. 1I or formed on the c-axis orientatedsuper conductor thin film 11 in the embodiment shown in FIG. 2F. On theother hand, the gate electrode 4 is located on the gate insulator 6formed directly on the superconducting channel 10.

The invention has thus been shown and described with reference to thespecific embodiments. However, it should be noted that the presentinvention is in no way limited to the details of the illustratedstructures but changes and modifications may be made within the scope ofthe appended claims.

We claim:
 1. A superconducting device comprising:a substrate having aprincipal surface; a superconducting channel formed of a c-axisorientated thin film of an oxide superconductor on the principal surfaceof the substrate, the channel being extremely thin in a directionperpendicular to the principal surface; a superconducting source region;a superconducting drain region; the source and drain regions each beingformed of a-axis orientated thin films of the oxide superconductor andbeing located near end portions of the superconducting channel atseparated locations and being electrically connectable to thesuperconducting channel, so that superconducting current can flowthrough the superconducting channel between the superconducting sourceregion and the superconducting drain region, the superconducting sourceand drain regions each having a thickness greater than the thickness ofthe superconducting channel in said direction perpendicular to theprincipal surface direction; a gate insulator formed on thesuperconducting channel; a gate electrode formed on the gate insulatorfor controlling superconducting current flowing through thesuperconducting channel; and normal conductor members disposed in gapsbetween the superconducting channel and the superconducting sourceregion and between the superconducting channel and the superconductingdrain region to connect the source region, the channel and the drainregion for superconducting current flow.
 2. A superconducting deviceclaimed in claim 1 wherein the oxide superconductor thin film is formedof an oxide superconductor material selected from the group consistingof a Y-Ba-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material, aBi-Sr-Ca-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material, and aTl-Ba-Ca-Cu-O type compound oxide superconductor material.
 3. Asuperconducting device claimed in claim 2 wherein the gate electrode isformed of a refractory metal or a silicide thereof.
 4. A superconductingdevice claimed in claim 2 wherein the gate electrode is formed of amaterial selected from the group consisting of Au, Ti, W, and a silicidethereof.
 5. A superconducting device claimed in claim 2 wherein thesubstrate is formed of a material selected from the group consisting ofMgO (100), SrTiO₃ (100) and CdNdAlO₄ (001), and a semiconductor.
 6. Asuperconducting device claimed in claim 2 wherein the substrate isformed of a silicon substrate having a principal surface coated with aninsulating material layer which is formed of a MgAl₂ O₄ layer and aBaTiO₃ layer.
 7. A superconducting device claimed in claim 2 wherein thegate insulator is formed of a material stable to the oxidesuperconductor material of the superconducting channel, thesuperconducting source region and the superconducting drain region.
 8. Asuperconducting device claimed in claim 2 wherein the superconductingchannel has a thickness of about 5 nanometers and the gate insulator isformed of an oxide which is stable with respect to the oxidesuperconductor material of the superconducting channel, thesuperconducting source region and the superconducting drain region andhas a thickness of not less than 10 nanometers.
 9. A superconductingdevice claimed in claim 8, wherein gate insulator is formed of MgO. 10.A superconducting device comprising:a substrate having a principalsurface; a superconducting channel formed of a c-axis orientated thinfilm of an oxide superconductor on the principal surface of thesubstrate, the channel being extremely thin in a direction perpendicularto the principal surface; a superconducting source region; asuperconducting drain region; the source and drain regions each beingformed of a-axis oriented thin films of the oxide superconductorprovided on the c-axis oriented thin film and being located on the thec-axis film at opposing portions of the superconducting channel, thesuperconductor channel separating the source and drain regions andelectrically connecting the source and drain regions so thatsuperconducting current can flow through the superconducting channelbetween the superconducting source region and the superconducting drainregion, the superconducting source and drain regions having thicknessesgreater than the thickness of the superconducting channel in saiddirection; a gate insulator on the superconducting channel; a gateelectrode formed on the gate insulator for controlling superconductingcurrent flowing through the superconducting channel; and side insulatingwalls formed to completely cover each of opposite side surfaces of thegate electrode; the superconducting channel and the gate insulator beingformed of the same oxide thin film, except that a portion of the oxidesuperconductor thin film which forms the gate insulator has less oxygenthan that of the portion of the oxide superconductor thin film whichforms the superconductor channel; and the gate electrode beingsurrounded by the superconducting channel, the superconducting sourceregion and the superconducting drain region while being electricallyisolated from the superconducting channel, the superconducting sourceregion and the superconducting drain region by the gate insulator andthe side insulating walls.